LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User manual

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 1
ESATA HUB THUNDERBOLT SERIES USER MANUAL
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eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 2
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the User Manual for the LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt™* Series. With
theoretical transfer rates that can reach up to 10Gb/s, the eSATA Hub is the perfect adapter for your eSATA
drives. Attach two eSATA enclosures to a single eSATA Hub for newfound speed and performance. For enhanced
storage capacity, daisy chain additional eSATA Hubs to attach all your eSATA enclosures. Ideal for professionals
that have invested heavily in eSATA disks, the eSATA Hub helps you repurpose and future-proof existing storage.
Video editors, graphic artists, and photographers can get the most from their current hard drives thanks to the
incredible throughput offered by the LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series. Further, eSATA can now be used with
all next generation Macintosh computers that support Thunderbolt technology, including MacBook Pros,
MacBook Airs, and iMacs.
This manual will guide you through the process of connecting your LaCie eSATA Hub and explain its features.
For questions on installation or usage, please consult the Getting Help page.
BOX CONTENT
LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series
■
Power supply
■
eSATA Hub stand for a vertical position
■
Quick Install Guide
■
Note: Visit www.lacie.com for details on cables that support Thunderbolt technology.
Important info: Please save your packaging. In the event that the eSATA hub should need to be repaired or
serviced, it must be returned in its original packaging.
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Your system must meet certain requirements in order for your LaCie product to function properly. For a list of
these requirements, please refer to the product packaging or consult the product support web page at
www.lacie.com/support/.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 3
* Thunderbolt and the Thunderbolt logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 4
Thunderbolt technology connection:
The eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series must be connected to a Macintosh computer that supports Thunderbolt
technology.
VIEWS OF THE DRIVE
Front View
Activity LED1.
Removable stand2.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 5
Rear View
Chain lock option1.
eSATA ports2.
Power supply connection (12V 2A)3.
Thunderbolt technology ports4.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 6
POSITION AND STACKING
The LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series may be kept at a vertical or a horizontal position.
Use the removable stand for a vertical position.
■
Place the device on its side for a horizontal position.
■
LaCie does not support stacking multiple eSATA Hubs. Stacking your eSATA Hub will void the warranty.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 7
RECEIVING POWER/LED
RECEIVING POWER
To receive power, the eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series must be:
Connected to a Macintosh computer that is compatible with Thunderbolt technology1.
Connected to a power source via the included power supply2.
LED STATES
LED Behavior State
The product is in active mode, working properly and waiting for data access.
The product is starting up. The LED will become solid blue once it has initialized.
External disk access
Off
The product is: turned off; not receiving power; not connected to a Macintosh computer that
supports Thunderbolt technology; experiencing system failure; or, experiencing electronic
board failure. If the device is connected to a power supply and turned on but the LED remains
off, contact LaCie Customer Support.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 8
THUNDERBOLT TECHNOLOGY AND DAISY CHAIN
THUNDERBOLT TECHNOLOGY
Thunderbolt technology is an active cable technology with extraordinary promise. A single Thunderbolt
technology connection includes two bi-directional streams, each with a potential bandwidth of up to 10Gb/s. As
the illustration demonstrates, the streams run in opposite directions to support simultaneous operations: one
bi-directional stream for data operations and another bi-directional stream for video operations. For example,
files can be copied (upstream) while playing back an HD film from your computer (downstream). Certainly, it is
possible to perform both actions with existing interface technologies but not at the speeds offered by a
Thunderbolt technology connection. See the comparison in the illustration.
While maximum theoretical transfer rates are rarely sustained, it is no less impressive to imagine the amount of
high-end data that can be passed to and from your LaCie eSATA Hub.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 9
THUNDERBOLT TECHNOLOGY DAISY CHAIN
The back of the LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series features two Thunderbolt technology ports for:
Direct connection to a Thunderbolt technology compatible Macintosh computer
■
Daisy chaining Thunderbolt compatible devices
■
Connect the cable to one of the interface ports on the back of your LaCie eSATA Hub and to your Macintosh
computer. The additional Thunderbolt port may be used to daisy chain compatible computer peripherals, such
as additional eSATA Hubs, hard drives, monitors, and much more. A single Thunderbolt technology line can have
seven devices, including the computer. Consider the potential speed and availability of storage when daisy
chaining six eSATA Hubs for a total of 12 eSATA enclosures.
Important cable info: When connecting your eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series to a computer or compatible
devices, please use cables specifically constructed to support Thunderbolt technology. Go to www.lacie.com
for further information on cables.
Important info: The eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series must be connected to a Macintosh computer that
supports Thunderbolt technology. While the ports on the back of the device can easily seat Mini DisplayPort
cable ends, the eSATA Hub will not work when it is connected to a computer that does not support
Thunderbolt technology.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 10
GETTING CONNECTED
Please follow the setup steps in the order they are given to ensure that the eSATA drives mount correctly on
your computer.
Important Info: If your LaCie eSATA drive features an “Auto” power mode, please do not use it.
COMPATIBLE DEVICES
Most storage with eSATA ports can be connected to the LaCie eSATA Hub. The table below offers a list of LaCie
hard drive enclosures that are perfect for your eSATA Hub.
LaCie storage with a compatible eSATA 3Gb/s interface
LaCie d2 Quadra
LaCie Big Disk Quadra
LaCie 2big Quadra
LaCie 4big Quadra
CONNECT THE INTERFACE CABLE
Connect a cable that supports Thunderbolt technology to one of the Thunderbolt technology interface ports1.
on the eSATA Hub. Plug the other end of the cable to a compatible Thunderbolt technology port on your
Macintosh computer. The additional Thunderbolt technology port on the eSATA Hub may be used to daisy
chain compatible devices. For example, you can attach one or more eSATA Hubs.
eSATA Hub

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 11
eSATA Hub daisy chain
Connect an eSATA cable to one of the eSATA interface ports on the eSATA Hub. Plug the other end of the2.
cable to the eSATA port on your drive enclosure. You may attach a second eSATA enclosure to the additional
eSATA port on the eSATA Hub. If you are daisy chaining eSATA Hubs, please connect eSATA enclosures to
each eSATA Hub on the daisy chain during this step.
eSATA Hub

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 12
eSATA Hub daisy chain
Connect the included external power supply to a power outlet and to the eSATA Hub. If you are daisy3.
chaining eSATA Hubs, please connect the included external power supply/supplies to each eSATA Hub on the
daisy chain. Make certain to connect the power supplies to each eSATA enclosure connected to the eSATA
Hub. The eSATA Hub will turn on automatically if power is available and it is connected to a Macintosh
computer that supports Thunderbolt technology.
eSATA Hub

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 13
eSATA Hub daisy chain
Power on the eSATA drive enclosure(s) if necessary.4.
The disks will mount on the Mac desktop. You may use the Mac OS X Disk Utility to format and partition the5.
volumes.
eSATA Hub
eSATA Hub daisy chain

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 14
Technical note: Thunderbolt technology supports seven devices on a daisy chain, including the computer.
You can connect up to six eSATA Hubs for a total of 12 eSATA drive enclosures. The total disks will vary
according to the amount of hard drives per enclosure.
Powered eSATA Enclosure Does Not Mount
Certain eSATA enclosures/drives may experience difficulty mounting onto the desktop when “hot plugged” into
the eSATA Hub. For example, an eSATA enclosure connected to a powered eSATA Hub is not available on the
desktop. Further, it cannot be mounted from the Mac Disk Utility. If you encounter such a case, please follow the
instructions below:
Confirm that the eSATA enclosure power switch is set to On rather than Auto. Certain eSATA enclosures1.
include an Auto mode that powers on the device when it receives a signal from the computer. This setting
will effect performance when connected to the eSATA Hub.
Unmount ALL eSATA enclosures/drives that are attached to the eSATA Hub (Unmounting the eSATA Volume(s)2.
). This includes any enclosure that may be connected to daisy-chained eSATA Hubs. Make certain that
open programs are not using the drives before unmounting them.
Disconnect the Thunderbolt cable from the computer.3.
Wait five seconds.4.
Make certain that all eSATA enclosures connected to the eSATA Hub are powered on.5.
Reconnect the Thunderbolt cable to the computer.6.
All eSATA drives should be available for use.7.
UNMOUNTING THE DRIVE
In order to avoid file system corruption, it is important that you unmount the volume(s) before turning off the
eSATA enclosures and/or the eSATA Hub. See Unmounting the eSATA Volume(s) for details.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 15
UNMOUNTING THE ESATA VOLUME(S)
Thunderbolt technology devices are plug and play, allowing you to connect and disconnect them while the
computer is running. To prevent potential disk problems, it is important to properly eject the eSATA storage
volume(s).
Drag the eSATA storage volume(s) to the Trash. The Trash will turn into an Eject arrow. (The volume icon1.
pictured is a generic Mac device icon. Your drives may be represented by different icons.)
When the volume icon disappears from the desktop, the eSATA enclosure can be disconnected from the2.
eSATA Hub. If all the eSATA volumes have been ejected, you may also disconnect the eSATA Hub from the
computer.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 16
GETTING HELP
If you are having problems with your LaCie product, consult the table below for a list of available resources.
Order Source Description Location
1
Quick
Install
Guide
Concise steps to
follow for getting your
product up and
running
Either a printed leaflet or accessory box and included in the
product box, or download PDF from the product page
2Support
Pages
Includes interactive
troubleshooting
topics for most
common problems
www.lacie.com/support/, select your product, then click the
“Troubleshooting” tab
3User
Manual
Includes common
troubleshooting
topics
See Troubleshooting Topics below
4Customer
Support
Create an account on
lacie.com, register
your product, and fill
out a support ticket
Create an account here:
www.lacie.com/us/mystuff/login.htm?logout&rtn=mystuff
Note: LaCie is dedicated to providing high quality products that enrich the lives of our customers. To help
LaCie offer the best customer support, we encourage you to create an account and register your product at
www.lacie.com/us/mystuff/login.htm? logout&rtn=mystuff. You can give us important feedback as well as
receive updated information on your LaCie device.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 17
TROUBLESHOOTING TOPICS
Note: Interactive troubleshooting, a highly effective way to resolve problems with your product, is available
from www.lacie.com/support/. Select your product, then click the “Troubleshooting” tab.
Problem: I do not see the eSATA volumes connected to my eSATA Hub
Thunderbolt Series.
Q: Are there other Thunderbolt technology devices connected to the same port?
A: Disconnect all Thunderbolt devices except for the eSATA Hub. If the eSATA volumes appear on the desktop,
determine which device on the Thunderbolt daisy change is causing the problem.
Q: Does the icon/Do the icons for the eSATA volumes appear on the desktop?
A: The drive icon(s) for the eSATA volumes should appear on your desktop. Please confirm that the Finder
preference for displaying external disks on the desktop is selected at Finder > Preferences > General.
Q: Is the eSATA Hub connected to a Macintosh computer that supports Thunderbolt technology?
A: The connection type for Thunderbolt technology on the Mac is shaped similar to the Mini DisplayPort. Please
note that legacy Macs with Mini DisplayPorts do not support Thunderbolt technology peripherals such as the
eSATA Hub.
Q: Did you follow the correct installation steps?
A: Review the installation steps (Getting Connected). Please make certain that both ends of the Thunderbolt
technology and eSATA cables are firmly connected to their ports and that the devices are receiving power.
Q: I connected the eSATA Hub to my new Mac with an older Mini DisplayPort cable that I use for my monitors. Why can't I
see the eSATA volumes on the desktop?
A: The eSATA Hub requires a cable specifically constructed for Thunderbolt technology. Go to www.lacie.com for
more information on cables that support Thunderbolt technology.
Q: I connected a cable that supports Thunderbolt technology to my new Mac but the eSATA Hub does: (a) not power on
and/or (b) not receive sufficient power.
A: The eSATA Hub receives power via the included power supply. See Getting Connected.
Q: Are both ends of the Thunderbolt technology cable securely attached?
A:
Only use a cable that supports Thunderbolt technology on a Mac.
■
Check both ends of the Thunderbolt technology cable to make sure they are fully seated in their respective
■
ports.
Try disconnecting the Thunderbolt technology cable then wait 10 seconds before reconnecting it.
■
If the drive is still not recognized, restart your computer and try again.
■

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 18
Problem: I'm receiving file transfer error messages and Time Machine does not
work.
Q: Did you get an "Error -50" message while copying to eSATA drives attached to the eSATA Hub?
A: When copying files or folders from a computer to a FAT32 volume, certain characters cannot be copied.
These characters include, but are not limited to:
? < > / \ :
Since it does not offer optimal performance, LaCie does not recommend using the FAT32 file system with your
eSATA drives. Please consider formatting the drives as HFS+ Journaled. Additionally, Time Machine is only
compatible with disks formatted in HFS+ or HFS+ Journaled.
Problem: The disk space does not seem right.
Q: I just threw a lot of files into the Trash from my eSATA volume. Why don't I see more space to copy new files?
A: Disk space will not be reclaimed until the file is erased. To remove the files forever:
Click the Trash icon in the Apple Dock.
■
A Finder window will open. Right-click Empty in the upper right.
■
Q: Why is the volume capacity less than advertised on the eSATA dives?
A: After formatting, the available capacity of a drive will show less than advertised on the box. The difference is
based upon how capacity is viewed by the operating system. For example, a hard drive that can store
500,000,000,000 bytes is divided by 1,000,000,000 to equal 500GB. This is the actual capacity listed on the
manufacturer’s box. The operating system uses slightly different math, dividing 500,000,000,000 by
1,073,741,824 to equal 466GB.

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 19
PRECAUTIONS
Caution: It is essential that you use only the power supply shipped with your product, since it is a
shielded-type power cord that meets FCC emission limits as well as to prevent interference to the nearby
radio and television reception.
Caution: Modifications not authorized by the manufacturer may void the user's authority to operate this
device.
Important info: Any loss, corruption or destruction of data while using a LaCie device and/or hard drive is
the sole responsibility of the user, and under no circumstances will LaCie be held liable for the recovery or
restoration of this data. To help prevent the loss of your data, LaCie highly recommends that you keep TWO
copies of your data; one copy on your external hard disk, for instance, and a second copy either on your
internal hard disk, another external hard disk, or some other form of removable storage media. If you would
like more information on backup, please refer to our website.
Important info: 1TB (Terabyte) = 1,000GB. 1GB = 1000MB. 1MB = 1,000,000 Bytes. Total accessible
capacity varies depending upon operating environment (typically up to 10% less per TB).
HEALTH AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Only qualified persons are authorized to carry out maintenance on this device.
■
Read this User Manual carefully and follow the correct procedure when setting up the device.
■
Do not open a LaCie device or attempt to disassemble or modify it. Never insert any metallic object into the
■
device as you risk severe electrical shock, fire, short-circuiting, or dangerous emissions. The LaCie device
contains no user-serviceable parts. If it appears to be malfunctioning, have it inspected by a qualified LaCie
Technical Support representative.
Never expose your device to rain, or use it near water, or in damp or wet conditions. Never place objects
■
containing liquids on the LaCie device, as they may spill into its openings. Doing so increases the risk of
electrical shock, short-circuiting, fire, or personal injury.
GENERAL USE PRECAUTIONS
Power requirements 100-240 V~, 50-60 Hz, (supply voltage fluctuations not exceeding ± 10% of the nominal
■
and transient over-voltages according to over-voltage category II).
Do not expose the LaCie device to temperatures outside the range of 5º C to 30º C (41º F to 86º F); or to
■
operational humidity beyond 10-80%, non-condensing, or non-operating humidity beyond 10-90%,

eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series User Manual 20
non-condensing. Doing so may damage the LaCie device or disfigure its casing. Avoid placing your LaCie
device near a source of heat or exposing it to sunlight (even through a window). Inversely, placing your LaCie
device in an environment that is too cold may damage the unit.
Rated cooling for altitudes up to 2000 meters.
■
If your device features a power cable, always unplug it from the electrical outlet if there is a risk of lightning or
■
if it will be unused for an extended period of time. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of electrical shock,
short-circuiting or fire.
Use only the power supply shipped with the device (if applicable).
■
Do not use the LaCie device near other electrical appliances such as televisions, radios or speakers. Doing so
■
may cause interference which will adversely affect the operation of the other products.
Do not place the LaCie device near sources of magnetic interference, such as computer displays, televisions or
■
speakers. Magnetic interference can affect the operation and stability of your LaCie device.
Never use excessive force on your LaCie device. If you detect a problem, consult the troubleshooting section in
■
this manual.
Protect your LaCie device from excessive exposure to dust during use or storage. Dust can build up inside the
■
device, increasing the risk of damage or malfunction.
Never use benzene, paint thinners, detergent or other chemical products to clean the outside of the enclosure
■
of your LaCie device. Such products will disfigure and discolor the casing. Instead, use a soft, dry cloth to wipe
the device.